Marcusovich
by Black Witch Kings
Summary: Mathan-drabble, for the sake of my sanity, as I got little to none from the actually book. Characters are from Half Bad.


**_Disclaimer : I do not any of the characters featured in this story._**

**_Writer: Black Witch Kings (Pan's Courtesy Call)_**

**_Extra: Timeline-wise, this doesn't make much sense, since in the book Nathan doesn't find out about the vision until he meets Mary. But whatever. I'm not counting on anyone other than me reading this, tbh. It's way too short for my standards, but I only did it out of boredom. I need it, after the lack of Marcus in the actual book._**

"I won't kill you. I swear it. The vision? It doesn't mean anything," the child averred imploringly, for what was approximately the fifth time of the night. "So you don't have to keep running. You don't…have to, you know, leave…" There was an unsaid "again" to that last statement.

"Nathan," Marcus began patiently, giving his son a look. He knelt in front of him, tilting his head. "Do you really believe the vision is the reason I leave you with that disgusting thing you call your sister?" He was talking about Jessica there. He could respect the other boy Cora had begotten, if only because he was kind to his son. He didn't appreciate the coddling lies he always fed him, but still. He gave him his respect. The other daughter, Deborah, he held no opinion on. She tended to be too bold. "I cannot go to you. Yet. You are aware of the Council's intent to kill me, are you not?

"For slaughtering and eating people," Nathan offered softly, his eyes closed. His tone made it clear that he didn't care about any of his father's "misdeeds".

Marcus raised an eyebrow before sighing at that. "I prefer to call term it 'withdrawing people's power and making it my own', but yes. For killing people." Which he found a bit hypocritical, considering the White Witches did it for stupider reasons than his own. "I know of the assessments they have you go to. You handle the questions of me well. I presume your Gran trained you for them? Your mother always did speak highly of her. The only reason I didn't kill her along with Cora's husband."

Nathan noted that Marcus was talking to himself more than anything now, but nodded regardless, which made Marcus focus back on him. "Do you…ever not have a reason?" He decided to change the subject of his father coming to him, because he didn't want to spend the short time he had with him going in circles. Besides, he knew his father loved him. And that the only issue was the Council and their stupid prejudice against Black Witches. Granted, his father tended to do things to warrant that bias, but…

"What do you mean?" Marcus responded. "A reason for…?"

"Withdrawing people's powers and making them your own. Do you ever not have a reason?" Nathan obviously just meant killing.

Marcus couldn't help but roll his eyes at this question, though didn't really seem mad. Nathan hadn't expected him to be. From what he'd seen, and even heard from his Gran, his father was usually rather calm. And that was quite odd, as he was not only the most violent of the witches, but also the most horrifying. It was why whenever the Council asked him if he loved his father during the assessments, he never said yes.

"No. I always have a reason, technically. Whether it is out of a grudge, or just to bring myself amusement, I have a reason," Marcus answered honestly. "You do realize that you're ten and asking me about killing?" He actually smiled. "I'm beginning to believe that I am beating out the White Witch inside of you. Your mother would be jealous." He was only teasing. He knew that his son was…a "good" person. For the most part..

Nathan frowned at that, the hollow glints in his literally black eyes, the ones that matched his father's, now churning violently. "Would you come get me if it did? I don't disappoint you, do I?" Jessica was always quick to point out the black part of him. His Gran always did the same, though with the white.

"No," Marcus said easily, as if he was being asked his hair color. "You don't. It's a bit hard to be, when you're one of the only two things that can kill me, besides the Fairborn. Not to mention, you've given the O'Brians some needed comeuppance. They were just as pure when I knew them, and just as irksome. Which is why I took the power of one of their family members first." He placed a hand to Nathan's forehead, which made him suddenly relax completely. "Not the best thing, as I prefer terror, but it is quite handy when I need a place to stay, and the residents aren't particularly willing. Nathan didn't say anything this time, merely nodding, enjoying the feeling of the artificial tranquility.

Marcus bristled suddenly, standing up. "I must go. I'll speak to you here whenever I can again." He was referring to the fact that he wasn't actually with Nathan, and was only projecting himself into a fabrication of his room while he slept. Which Nathan was aware of, as he had told him.

Despite knowing he would have to leave, the calmness immediately left Nathan. "I'll find you, you know. And then you'll see that I have no intention of killing you. Nor will I let any of the Council. I won't. Because I don't care about your own slaughters." He didn't term it as Marcus had this time. "You are my father. And I love you. So I will find you."

/

/

The boy woke up with a start, his stomach lurching as he did so. He remembered nothing of the mental meeting with Marcus, due to the man himself. He never remembered. Marcus wouldn't allow him to. In retrospect, it made the whole thing quite pointless. But the Black Witch didn't care. He left his bed quickly, leaving the room and going outside, the nausea he felt inside immediately diminishing to nonexistence.


End file.
